Gregory of Nazianzus: Spare your people, Lord

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:13-17

“With these words I invoke mercy… Possess your souls in tears, and stay His wrath by amending your way of life. Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, as blessed Joel with us charges you: gather the elders, and the babes that suck the breasts, whose tender age wins our pity, and is specially worthy of the loving-kindness of God.

I know also what he enjoins both upon me, the minister of God, and upon you, who have been thought worthy of the same honour, that we should enter His house in sackcloth and lament night and day between the porch and the altar, in piteous array, and with more piteous voices, crying aloud without ceasing on behalf of ourselves and the people, sparing nothing, either toil or word, which may propitiate God: saying, “Spare, O Lord, Your people, and give not Your heritage to reproach”…

Come then, all of you, my brethren, let us worship and fall down, and weep before the Lord our Maker… let us raise the voice of supplication… Let us anticipate His anger by confession; let us desire to see Him appeased, after He was angry. Who knows, he says, if He will turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him? … Let us sow in tears, that we may reap in joy…”

Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) in Oration 16.13-14. Gregory is the third of the four doctors of the Eastern Church. We heard from John Chyrsostom and Basil of Caesarea. Tomorrow Athanasius of Alexandria will follow.

In today’s Scripture we see God’s servants declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly, and cry out for mercy. Think about it. Ponder this. The first step in addressing the brokenness in this world is prayer, fasting, and confession. These spiritual priorities must precede any strategic work for us.

I head to West Africa this Saturday, but before I depart, to ask God to spare His people in needy places, I am taking time for fasting, prayer, and confession. And upon arrival in Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, I will do this with Samson Adoungbe on day one of the three days in each country.

Consider your own situation. The call for a fast and a sacred assembly includes everyone down to little babies and it should stop everyone in their tracks, including those preparing for grand occasions like weddings. The point here is that we deserve judgment and want mercy instead.

Want to turn brokenness around you into blessing? Gregory would echo the prophet Joel saying, and call you to fast, collectively set aside your desires and seek God’s heart. When we do this, when we change our ways, He changes what we get in reply. He turns brokenness into blessing.

Because He does not want our sacrifices, He wants our souls. Be God’s person for your family, for your community, for your people. Worship and weep before God. Sow in tears and reap in joy. Rather than asking Him to bless your plans, ask Him to restore your people for His glory.

Pray this with me for West Africa in Jesus name.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: “Here am I.” If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Isaiah 58:6-12

“Do not, however, define the benefit that comes from fasting solely in terms of abstinence from foods. For true fasting consists in estrange­ment from vices. “Loose every burden of iniquity.” Forgive your neigh­bor the distress he causes you; forgive him his debts. “Fast not for quar­rels and strifes.” You do not eat meat, but you devour your brother. You abstain from wine, but do not restrain yourself from insulting others.

You wait until evening to eat, but waste your day in law courts. Woe to those who get drunk, but not from wine. Anger is inebriation of the soul, mak­ing it deranged, just as wine does. Grief is also a form of intoxication, one that submerges the intellect. Fear is another kind of drunkenness, when we have phobias regarding inappropriate objects; for Scripture says: “Rescue my soul from fear of the enemy.” And in general, every passion which causes mental derangement may justly be called drunkenness.

Pray consider a man smitten with anger, how he is inebriated by this passion. He is not in control of himself, he does not know who he is, nor does he know those around him. He attacks everyone and collides with everyone just as in a night-battle; he speaks recklessly, cannot restrain himself, rails, pounds his fists, utters threats, swears, shouts, and becomes apoplectic. Avoid such in­ebriation as this, and do not accept the inebriation that comes from wine.

Do not precede the season in which you drink only water by consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Let not drunkenness initiate you into the fast. For neither through greed do you attain to righteousness, nor through wantonness to temperance, nor, in short, through vice to virtue. The door to fasting is a different one. Inebriation leads to wantonness, frugality to fast­ing. An athlete trains before a contest; a faster practices abstinence before a fast…

May the Lord Who has brought us to this period of the year grant us, as contenders, to display steadfast and vigorous perseverance in these preliminary contests and to attain to the Day of the Lord, whereon crowns are bestowed, so that we might now com­memorate the saving Passion of Christ, and in the age to come enjoy the reward for our deeds in life at the just Judgment of Christ Himself, for unto Him be glory unto the ages. Amen.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily “On Fasting” 1.10-11. Basil is the second of the four doctors of the Eastern Church. Yesterday we heard from John Chyrsostom. Gregory of Nazianzus and Athanasius of Alexandria will follow over the next two days.

I want to pause and thank readers for following God’s leading to help with the $40,000 matching grant. Through the contributions of many people we hit the mark on the final day with a total reaching $40,210.30. Praise the LORD.

Many of you set aside your desires to serve others and gave according to your ability. This is precisely the fasting God wants to see. It loosens the chains of injustice. Basil adds that it estranges us from our vices to position us to serve as contenders for God.

Are you contending earnestly for the faith (cf. Jude 1:3)? We do this by forgiving others, by putting off anger, greed, fear, wantonness and worry, and by attaining to righteousness, frugality, and temperance. Sound too lofty?

Then look at the new header photo. It’s Grace St. Catherine, our German Shorthair Pointer, on a walk this week. The weather warmed up and while walking along, she pointed a bird so I snapped her photo. Then I reflected on what I saw.

Grace is focused on doing what God made her to do, which is hunt for birds. When she saw one, nothing would distract her until I released her from her point. May we live with the same focus, undistracted by the things of this world!

Let us spend ourselves for God with unswerving focus. He will make us like well-watered gardens. He will sustain us and rebuild what is broken down through our service. And in all this, He will get the glory.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

“These things I say, not in order that we should be careless of righteousness, but that we should avoid pride; not that we should sin, but that we should be sober-minded. For humbleness of mind is the foundation of the love of wisdom which pertains to us. Even if you should have built a superstructure of things innumerable; even if almsgiving, even if prayers, even if fastings, even if all virtue; unless this have first been laid as a foundation, all will be built upon it to no purpose and in vain; and it will fall down easily, like that building which had been placed on the sand. For there is no one, no one of our good deeds, which does not need this; there is no one which separate from this will be able to stand. But even if you should mention temperance, even if virginity, even if despising of money, even if anything whatever, all are unclean and accursed and loathsome, humbleness of mind being absent. Everywhere therefore let us take her with us, in words, in deeds, in thoughts, and with this let us build these (graces).”

John Chyrsostom (347-407) in his homily “Concerning Lowliness of Mind” delivered in Antioch just before Christmas in A.D. 386. John Chyrsostom is the first of the four doctors of the Eastern Church. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius of Alexandria will follow.

We must build our lives on the firm foundation of fasting, prayer, and giving.

Think about the implications. If we build our lives on setting aside our desires for the things we want, for seeking the heart of God, and for serving as a conduit of divine blessings, we fulfill our God given purpose.

But if we don’t we will likely just pursue that which our flesh wants and keep for ourselves.

Thanks to all those who have contributed to the GTP $40,000 matching gift effort to serve underserved countries. I just checked the status at 4am Denver time. We still need $1,601 in the next 8 hours or so.

I’m fasting and praying and thankful for God’s faithful provision.

And I’ve strengthened my resolved to pursue these disciplines with humbleness of mind. I want to pursue them, more than ever, as foundation for generous Christian living. Join me.

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Matthew 9:15

“Christ is the Bridegroom, the Church is the bride. From this holy and spiritual marriage, the apostles were created, who cannot mourn as long as they see the bride in the chamber and know that the Bridegroom is with the bride. But when the wedding is past and the time of the Passion and Resurrection comes, then the sons of the Bridegroom will fast. On account of this statement, some think that fasts should be commenced after the forty days of the Passion.

Yet the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit invite us at once to festivity. Based on this pretext, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla even make a forty-day fast after Pentecost, because [they say] when the bridegroom is taken away, the sons of the bridegroom ought to fast. But the custom of the Church comes to the Passion of the Lord and the Resurrection by means of the humbling of the flesh. Thus by the fasting of the body we are prepared for spiritual feasting.”

Jerome of Stridon (c. 347-420) in Commentary on Matthew, translated by Thomas P. Scheck (The Fathers of the Church; Washington DC: CUAP, 2008) 108.

As I stated yesterday, I am starting Lent with the four doctors in the Western Church. We heard from Augustine, Ambrose, and Gregory the Great, so Jerome is last. Tomorrow we will turn to the four doctors of the Eastern Church.

This excerpt from Jerome’s Commentary on Matthew gives us another early church testimony for Lent. Jesus has ascended to the Father so we fast for forty days in order to have a time set apart for “spiritual feasting.”

What are you feasting on this Lent? I am feasting on gratitude for the grace of God, the peace that comes with the faithfulness of God, the forgiveness of sins, and the privilege of participating with God in doing good works which He prepared for me to do.

Please pause to give something today to GTP to help us finish this matching grant. We are only about $4,736 away with a day to go. And pray for me as I make preparations to serve in West Africa next week for 15 days. More on that later.

For now, make sure you answer this question: What are you feasting on this Lent? If you don’t fill the margin in your appetite and heart, in your budget and schedule with constructive study, giving, and service, the evil one will fill it with something else.

Lent is about making space for spiritual feasting.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

“The Lenten fast an opportunity for restoring our purity.

In proposing to preach this most holy and important fast to you, dearly beloved, how shall I begin more fitly than by quoting the words of the Apostle, in whom Christ Himself was speaking, and by reminding you of what we have read: “Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation.”

For though there are no seasons which are not full of Divine blessings, and though access is ever open to us to God’s mercy through His grace, yet now all men’s minds should be moved with greater zeal to spiritual progress, and animated by larger confidence, when the return of the day, on which we were redeemed, invites us to all the duties of godliness: that we may keep the super-excellent mystery of the Lord’s passion with bodies and hearts purified.

These great mysteries do indeed require from us such unflagging devotion and unwearied reverence that we should remain in God’s sight always the same, as we ought to be found on the Easter feast itself. But because few have this constancy, and, because so long as the stricter observance is relaxed in consideration of the frailty of the flesh, and so long as one’s interests extend over all the various actions of this life, even pious hearts must get some soils from the dust of the world, the Divine Providence has with great beneficence taken care that the discipline of the forty days should heal us and restore the purity of our minds, during which the faults of other times might be redeemed by pious acts and removed by chaste fasting.

Lent must be used for removing all our defilements, and of good works there must be no stint.

As we are therefore, dearly-beloved, about to enter on those mystic days which are dedicated to the benefits of fasting, let us take care to obey the Apostle’s precepts, cleansing “ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit:” that by controlling the struggles that go on between our two natures, the spirit which, if it is under the guidance of God, should be the governor of the body, may uphold the dignity of its rule: so that we may give no offense to any, nor be subject to the chiding of reprovers…

Now let the faithful spirit train himself with the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, that through honor and dishonor, through ill repute and good repute, the conscience may be undisturbed in unwavering uprightness, not puffed up by praise and not wearied out by revelings. The self-restraint of the religious should not be gloomy, but sincere; no murmurs of complaint should be heard from those who are never without the consolation of holy joys. The decrease of worldly means should not be feared in the practice of works of mercy. Christian poverty is always rich, because what it has is more than what it has not.

Nor does the poor man fear to labour in this world, to whom it is given to possess all things in the Lord of all things. Therefore those who do the things which are good must have no manner of fear lest the power of doing should fail them; since in the gospel the widow’s devotion is extolled in the case of her two mites, and voluntary bounty gets its reward for a cup of cold water. or the measure of our charitableness is fixed by the sincerity of our feelings, and he that shows mercy on others will never want for mercy himself.”

Gregory the Great (540-604) in Sermon 42, On Lent 4.1-2. As I stated yesterday, I am starting Lent with the four doctors in the Western Church. We heard from Augustine, then Ambrose, and now Gregory the Great. Jerome will follow tomorrow.

So much in this sermon inspires me on my Lenten journey. Three expressions struck me personally.

The first is a pair of expressions linked to the blessing of this 40 day fast. It creates in us a sense of “unflagging devotion and unwearied reverence” as we shift from living for the flesh and live for the Spirit something happens in us.

The sacrifices of the season actually strengthen us. To be unflagging and unwearied means that we get supernatural strength. To grow in our devotion and reverence means we shift from living for ourselves to living for God.

But that is for a purpose. This brings into view Gregory’s use of the expression “the measure of our charitableness.” The growing compassion and kindness in us propels us to action. We show mercy, we do good works.

So, what will the measure of your charitableness be? That’s for you to decide willingly on your Lenten journey. Just remember that those who choose a big measure will have such a measure extended to them.

Yesterday I asked you to fast a meal. If you did not do it, please do it today. And pray about an opportunity, and as you are able, make a gift to GTP for serving God’s workers in underserved regions.

We got a $40,000 match and still need about $11,000 by 28 February 2023.

Funds will be used to deploy me and other GTP staff and volunteers bring biblical teaching and practical training to help national workers grow local giving in Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Zambia, Jamaica, and other places.

We are not giving a hand out to people in need in these countries, which has been the cultural pattern for decades. Your generosity will give these disciples a hand up and help them fund local ministry without outside support.

Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments. Exodus 34:28

“The Lord Jesus, wishing to make us more strong against the temptations of the devil, fasted when about to contend with him, that we might know that we can in no other way overcome the enticements of evil…

And what is the intention of the Scripture which teaches us that Peter fasted, and that the revelation concerning the baptism of Gentiles was made to him when fasting and praying, except to show that the Saints themselves advance when they fast.

Finally, Moses received the Law when he was fasting; and so Peter when fasting was taught the grace of the New Testament. Daniel too by virtue of his fast stopped the mouths of the lions and saw the events of future times…

Who then are these new teachers who reject the merit of fasting? Is it not the voice of heathen who say, “Let us eat and drink?”… It is then for them to indulge in meats and drinks who hope for nothing after death.”

Ambrose of Milan in Epistle 63.15-17 to the Christians at Vercelli (A.D. 396). I’m starting Lent with the four doctors in the Western Church. We heard from Augustine yesterday, Ambrose today, and Gregory the Great and Jerome will follow.

Kingdom practices are counterintuitive. Fasting makes us more strong. Ponder that reality. It positions us to do the good works that God prepared in advance for us to do. And I am struck by Moses today. He fasted 40 days and wrote the words of the covenant.

What might God want you to do during and after your 40 day fast during Lent? You won’t know until you set aside your desires and hear His heart. This is why we couple prayer and giving with fasting in order to resist the devil, listen to God, and take action.

I want to invite you to fast a meal today, pray about an opportunity, and as you are able, make a gift to GTP for serving God’s workers in underserved regions. We got a $40,000 match and still need about $12,804 by 28 February 2023.

Funds will be used to deploy me and other GTP staff and volunteers bring biblical teaching and practical training to help national workers grow local giving in Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Zambia, Jamaica, and other places.

We are not giving a hand out to people in need in these countries, which has been the cultural pattern for decades. Your generosity will give these disciples a hand up to form them as stewards who help ministries follow standards to flourish.

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12

“Fasting is practiced for a threefold purpose. Firstly, in order to bridle the lusts of the flesh… Secondly, we have recourse to fasting in order that the mind may arise more freely to the contemplation of heavenly things… Thirdly, in order to satisfy for sins: wherefore it is written (Joel 2:12): “Be converted to Me with all your heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning.” Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, kindles the true light of chastity.”

Augustine of Hippo in On Fasting 147.1.3.

As we enter Lent, let us fast with this threefold purpose in view: to bridle the desires of our flesh, to shift our focus to heavenly things, and to return to God with our whole heart. Let’s explore each idea for a moment.

The desires of our flesh can easily overtake us if not held in check. Thus, fasting helps us grow in self-control and helps position us to stay in step with the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:16).

The first is connected to the second, as bridling our earthly desires frees up our focus to consider heavenly things. So, when you fast, don’t just forego some food or behavior, use the time and energy to focus on the things of God.

And the third purpose is linked to the first two. Fasting helps us return to God with every part of our heart. It shows us areas where we have drifted from Him and so we approach with humility, weeping, and mourning.

Father in heaven, make this season of fasting be a time of cleansing, for quenching our desires by your Spirit, and kindling the true light of chastity in each of our hearts. Hear our prayer in your mercy, we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

“Teach Me Gratitude

Holy Spirit,
open my heart
to understand how precious I am to you,
how loved I am by you.
Open the eyes of my soul,
to see the gifts you have put before me this day.
Give me the grace to recognize each encounter with you.
Teach me to respond in gratitude, to grow in gratitude.
Teach me to be generous, as you are generous with me,
and to collaborate with you in serving my sister and my brother
for your greater glory.”

Rebecca Ruiz in “Teach me Gratitude”.

My word for the year is gratitude so I prayed about where to start my Lenten journey in which I hope to deepen my roots in Christ, and the Lord ask God to teach me gratitude.

I found it very interesting the connection between gifts, grace, gratitude, and generosity. I like this prayer highlights it. God gives gifts, showers grace, teaches us gratitude, and then comes generosity.

Father, thanks for your many gifts. Give us grace to recognize them by your Spirit and fill me with gratitude for them. Then grow rich generosity in me from a thankful heart I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

And bless my dad today. Jack Hoag is 84. Lavish him with gifts, pour out grace, teach him gratitude, and help this next year be his most generous year yet. Happy Birthday Dad.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

“Lent is a call to renew a commitment grown dull, perhaps, by a life more marked by routine than by reflection. After a lifetime of mundane regularity or unconsidered adherence to the trappings of faith, Lent requires me, as a Christian, to stop for a while, to reflect again on what is going on in me. I am challenged again to decide whether I, myself, do truly believe that Jesus is the Christ and if I believe, whether I will live accordingly… Lent is not a ritual. It is a time given to think seriously about who Jesus is for us, to renew our faith from the inside out.”

Joan Chittister in The Liturgical Year (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009) 111.

Today is Ash Wednesday. It’s the start of Lent, a time of reflection. I like how Chittister describes it as a time to “renew a commitment” or to “think seriously about who Jesus is for us.”

Fasting helps create space to do this. This breaks us from our routines and mundane regularities.

If you’ve never observed Lent, please do it this year. It’s a time for focusing on the core disciplines of the Christian life, namely, prayer, fasting, and giving. To download my Lent Companion, click here.

It’s not a ritual. It’s a time to rekindle your relationship with Jesus Christ for walking in radical obedience.

Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:7b

“Shrove Tuesday serves as a reminder we are about to enter the season of Lent and prepares all Christians for a time of reflection and spiritual renewal. It is traditional to reflect on what type of fasting one may do during Lent.

The Shrove Tuesday Milestone Moment incorporates a simple structure that includes naming, equipping, blessing, gifting, and reinforcing so that the Milestone Moment has a greater chance to take deeper root in lifelong faith formation. Moments that allow opportunities for family and friends to gather in the home are special and an important step along our faith journey.

Naming – It is important to recognize Christian traditions as we begin the season of Lent. Shrove Tuesday marks the end of Epiphany and a time to reflect on what forgiveness means to us as we feast together.

Equipping – Providing an intentional opportunity to engage in caring conversations and prayer on Shrove Tuesday in your own home by serving a pancake dinner with lots of toppings, whipped cream, and syrup for family and friends is an excellent way to introduce others to this Christian tradition. This Milestone Moment provides an outline to use when you gather.

Blessing – Offering a prayer provides a blessing and reminds all involved of the importance of forgiveness as we honor the beginning of Lent.

Gifting – Providing an appropriate gift such as a pancake whisk, apron, or photo of the dinner and those gathered is a reminder of this time together. Milestones Ministry also suggests a gifting stone designed for Lent that can be carried in pockets and purses during Lent.

Reinforcing – One way to follow up after spending this Milestone Moment together is to gather again during Holy Week for a light meal and talk about something that was done during Lent to observe this season.”

David Anderson and Debbie Streicher serve as co-directors of Milestones Ministry. They produced this PDF entitled “Shrove Tuesday Milestone Moment” which is helpful for observing this day in community with others for deepening Christian faith.

Pause with me and consider this outline for making your Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) a day of reflection and preparation. Discuss it with at least one other person. Bless them. Give them a gift, and then plan to reconnect in Holy Week.

When you do this you multiply the impact of Lent. You grow in prayer, fasting, and good works together. Observe Lent this year. Invite at least one person to make the journey with you. Download your free Lent Companion here. See what happens.